Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Texas State started strong and kept the pressure on Western Kentucky throughout game two of the series Saturday, leading to an impressive 13-4 victory to improve to 14-8 on the season and 4-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. The win at Nick Denes Field is WKU's just second defeat at home of the season, dropping the Hilltoppers to 13-10 on the season and 3-2 in the SBC.

Series Summary
Game 1	TXST-1, WKU-4	Summary	Box Score

The Bobcats showed the offensive power the team is capable of, led by Garrett Mattlage with three hits and seven RBI. His seven RBI was a new career high for the junior and the most RBI hit by a Bobcat since 2009. He was just two shy of the record set by John Tompkins against Southeastern Louisiana on March 28, 1999. On his final at bat, he waited the pitcher out to earn a bases loaded walk for his seventh RBI.
 
The shortstop benefitted from three separate at-bats with the bases loaded thanks to the hitters in front of him like Matt Smith who went 2-for-3 with three walks and scored four times.
 
After Mattlage and his three hits were Smith, David Paiz and Tanner Hill with two hits on the day while Tyler Pearson and Preston Dorsey each tallied one.
 
Austen Williams earned the win after six innings of work. He allowed just two earned runs, walked one and struck out five. The Hilltoppers were able to notch five hits on Williams. Justin Dellinger finished the game, picking up the save with three innings pitched. He did not give up a hit and struck out four. With the duo shutting Western Kentucky down followed by a complete game from Taylor Black on Friday, the Bobcats have plenty of arms at their disposal for the series finale.
 
Texas State started quick when Pearson knocked a triple over the centerfielder's head and scored on a sacrifice fly from Mattlage in the first inning. After that, the Bobcats exploded in the second inning. Hill and Granger Studdard both got on base by virtue of a single for Hill and a walk for Studdard. Dorsey sacrifice bunted the runners over and Smith scored Hill with a single to left field.
 
Mattlage tallied two of his RBI with a double after that to plate both base runners. The Bobcats finished the inning with Mattlage coming in on a single from Paiz to claim a 5-0 lead after two at bats.
 
Western Kentucky was able to answer with runs in the bottom of the second and fourth innings, but Texas State came back with more in the sixth inning. Dorsey led the inning with a bunt single and stole second. Smith followed with a single and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Pearson earned a walk, one of two for him along with a hit by pitch on the day.
 
Mattlage followed with a base knock through the right side to score Dorsey and Smith scored on a passed ball. Pearson came in on a sacrifice fly from Paiz to push the Texas State lead to 8-2. The Hilltoppers answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Bobcats came back with two more in the seventh and capped the game with three runs in the ninth inning. Mattlage picked up two more RBI in the seventh while Paiz knocked another sac fly in the ninth.
 
The Bobcats benefitted from five walks and a hit by pitch in the ninth inning, scoring three runs without registering a hit.
 
Texas State will look to keep the momentum rolling with Lucas Humpal on the mound for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.